J Korean Oncol Nurs.  2009 Feb;9(1):23-30.

Correlation between Mental Adjustment to Cancer and Anxiety

• Oh PJ

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was to identify the relationship between mental adjustment to cancer and anxiety. METHOD: This study used a cross-sectional descriptive design. A total of 124 ambulatory cancer patients completed the Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson correlation.
RESULTS
There was a significantly negative correlation between anxiety and fighting spirit which was adaptive adjustment to cancer (r=-0.29, p<0.001). However, anxiety had significantly positive correlation with helplessness/hopelessness (r=0.38, p<0.001), anxious preoccupation (r=0.55, p<0.001), and fatalism (r=0.22, p<0.05) to cancer.
CONCLUSION
Cancer patients' mental adjustment is correlated with the degree of the psychosocial distress. Anxious preoccupation and helplessness/hopelessness are the most maladaptive adjustments whereas fighting spirit is one of the most adaptive adjustment to cancer.

Keyword

Cancer patient; Mental Adjustment; Anxie

MeSH Terms

Anxiety
Depression
Humans